Chapter 2

STATICS OF PARTICLES

Forces are vector quantities; they add according to the

parallelogram law. The magnitude and direction of the
resultant R of two forces P and Q can be determined either
graphically or by trigonometry.

R
P

Q
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Any given force acting on a particle can be resolved into

two or more components, i.e.., it can be replaced by two
or more forces which have the same effect on the particle.

Q
F
A
P

A force F can be resolved

into two components P
and Q by drawing a
parallelogram which has
F for its diagonal; the
components P and Q
are then represented by
the two adjacent sides
of the parallelogram
and can be determined
either graphically or by
trigonometry.

A force F is said to have been resolved into two rectangular

components if its components are directed along the coordinate
axes. Introducing the unit vectors i and j along the x and y axes,

F = Fx i + Fy j
y

Fx = F cos

Fy = F sin
Fy
tan =
Fx

Fy = Fy j
F
j

F=

Fx = Fx i

Fx2 + Fy2

When three or more coplanar forces act on a particle, the

rectangular components of their resultant R can be obtained
by adding algebraically the corresponding components of the
given forces.

Rx = Rx

Ry = Ry

The magnitude and direction of R can be determined from

Ry
tan =
Rx

R=

Rx2 + Ry2

Fy
O
E

Fz

F
x

Fy y
D

Fx

O
x

A force F in three-dimensional space

can be resolved into components

Fy

Fx = F cos x Fy = F cos y

Fz = F cos z
E
z

Fx

Fz

Fz

Fx
C

D
x

(Magnitude = 1)
Fy j
F=F

cos y j

Fx i

cos z k

Fz k
z

The cosines of
x , y , and z
are known as the
direction cosines of
the force F. Using
the unit vectors i , j,
and k, we write

F = Fx i + Fy j + Fz k

cos x i
or

F = F (cosx i + cosy j + cosz k )

y
cos y j

(Magnitude = 1)

Fy j

cos z k

F=F

Since the magnitude

of is unity, we have

Fx i
x
Fz k
z

F=

cos x i

= cosx i + cosy j
+ cosz k

cos2x + cos2y
+ cos2z = 1
In addition,

Fx 2 + Fy2+ Fz 2

Fx
cosx =
F

cosy

Fy
F

cosz =

Fz
F

y
N (x2, y2, z2)
F

M (x1, y1, z1)

dy = y2 - y1
dz = z2 - z1
<0
dx = x2 - x1
x

A force vector F
in three-dimensions
is defined by its
magnitude F and
two points M and
N along its line of
action. The vector
MN joining points
and N is

MN = dx i + dy j

+ dz k

The unit vector along the line of action of the force is

MN
=
MN

1
( dx i + dy j
d

+ dz k

y
N (x2, y2, z2)

d=

dx + dy + dz

dy = y2 - y1

M (x1, y1, z1)

dz = z2 - z1
<0
dx = x2 - x1
x

A force F is
defined as the
product of F and
. Therefore,

F
F = F =
( dx i + dy j
d

From this it follows that

Fdx
Fx =
d

Fdy
Fy =
d

Fdz
Fz =
d

+ dz k

When two or more forces act on a particle in threedimensions, the rectangular components of their resultant
R is obtained by adding the corresponding components of
the given forces.

Rx = Fx
Ry = Fy
Rz = Fz
The particle is in equilibrium when the resultant of all
forces acting on it is zero.

To solve a problem involving a particle in equilibrium,

draw a free-body diagram showing all the forces acting
on the particle. The conditions which must be satisfied for
particle equilibrium are

Fx = 0

Fy = 0

Fz = 0

In two-dimensions , only two of these equations are needed

Fx = 0

Fy = 0